Power clamp

Abstract

Several embodiments of a power clamp are disclosed which enable one arm or a pair of arms to be actuated for linear or rotational movement over a selected range of motion, depending on the manner in which the arm or arms are connected to the power clamp. Several embodiments, in addition to permitting actuation of various arms through various ranges of motion, further enable the arm or arms to be rotated about a transverse axis to a desired angular position, thereby further enhancing the adaptability of the power clamp device.

I claim: 
     
       1. A power clamp for actuating one or more clamping arms for clamping a workpiece, said power clamp comprising: (a) a housing, said housing being formed in two portions, one being a fixed portion mounted to a supporting structure and the other being a swivel portion rotatable with regard to said fixed portion, said swivel portion comprising a clamping head extending from said fixed portion, said clamping head having an internal portion rotatably disposed in said fixed portion and an external portion defining a pair of spaced legs with free extending extreme ends having a slot therebetween;   (b) mounting means for mounting said housing to a support surface, said mounting means being integral with said fixed housing portion and including a plurality of housing mounting holes in said housing for receiving means for securing and mounting said housing to said support surface;   (c) a fluid motor disposed in said housing;   (d) clamp actuating means operable in said slot and being operatively connected to said motor;   (e) at least one clamping arm having a portion operatively connected to said clamp actuating means for clamping movement in said slot; and   (f) arm positioning means comprising an arrangement of at least three arm mounting holes extending transversely through each of said legs of said clamping head, said three holes on each leg being aligned with said three holes on the other leg thereby defining hole pairs, each hole pair receiving means for attaching one or more of said clamping arms to said swivel portion, said arm mounting hole pairs being distinct from said housing mounting holes with two of said arm mounting hole pairs being positioned adjacent to said free extending ends of said legs on opposite sides of said slot with said third arm mounting hole pair positioned in transverse alignment with said two arm mounting hole pairs, each aligned hole pair defining a different mounting position of each said clamping arm on said clamping head to provide positioning of said arm in a variety of different positions for clamping in different positions;   each of said three hole pairs acting as a pivot point for an arm mounted therein, whereby the range and type of actuation of said clamping arm varies by selecting a mounting position from said variety provided by mounting positions of said arrangement of said arm mounting hole pairs.   
     
     
       2. A power clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping arm is pivotally connected to said swivel portion by a pin, with the axis of said pin extending transversely with regard to the axis of rotation of said swivel portion. 
     
     
       3. A power clamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising releasable locking means for preventing relative rotation between said fixed housing portion and said swivel portion. 
     
     
       4. A power clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein said fixed housing portion is mounted to said supporting structure by a threaded fastener, and wherein tightening of said fastener actuates said locking means. 
     
     
       5. A power clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said clamping arm is pivotally secured to said housing by means of a pin passing through one mounting hole in said clamping arm and one mounting hole pair in said housing, said one mounting hole of said clamping arm being disposed in said slot. 
     
     
       6. A power clamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein said actuating means is pivotally connected to a second mounting hole in said arm. 
     
     
       7. A power clamp as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a central guideway bore in said swivel portion intersecting said slot, said actuating means being reciprocably disposed in said guideway bore. 
     
     
       8. A power clamp as claimed in claim 7, wherein said guideway bore is circular in cross-sectional configuration. 
     
     
       9. A power clamp for removable receipt of one or more workpiece-engaging arms and for actuation of at least one arm, said power clamp comprising: (a) a housing having an internal bore;   (b) a piston longitudinally reciprocable in said bore;   (c) a piston rod attached to said piston;   (d) mounting means for mounting said housing to a support surface, said mounting means being integral with said housing and including a plurality of housing mounting holes in said housing for receiving means for securing and mounting said housing to said support surface;   (e) a clamping head comprising a pair of laterally spaced legs extending longitudinally from said housing to define a longitudinal slot sized to receive at least one of said arma therebetween, said legs having free extending extreme ends, and a plurality of arm mounting hole pairs, each said hole pair extending transversely through said legs and across said slot, said arm mounting hole pairs being distinct from said housing mounting holes with two of said arm mounting hole pairs being positioned adjacent to the said free extending ends of said legs on opposite sides of said slot with the third arm mounting hole pair being positioned below one of said two arm mounting hole pairs;   (f) pin means for mounting one or more of said arms in one or more of said arm mounting hole pairs respectively; and   (g) an actuating member connected to said piston rod and connectable to at least one of said arms, said actuating member having a mounting bore extending travsversely thereto, the relationship of said arm mounting hole pairs in said legs to said mounting bore in said actuating member providing means for selectively mounting each said arm in any one of a plurality of separate mounting positions relative to said legs for movement of each said arm relative to said legs in response to actuation by said piston, each of said three arm mounting hole pairs acting as a pivot point to an arm mounted therein so that the range and type of motion of actuation of each said arm is determined by its mounting position on said legs.   
     
     
       10. A power clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein two of said plurality of said mounting hole pairs of said clamping head are parallel to one another and lie in a common longitudinal plane. 
     
     
       11. A power clamp as claimed in claim 10, wherein a third mounting bore of said clamping head is parallel to said first two mounting hole pairs but is spaced from said common plane. 
     
     
       12. A power clamp as claimed in claim 9, further comprising linkage means for operatively connecting one or more of said workpiece-engaging arms to said piston rod. 
     
     
       13. A power clamp as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a first arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in one of said mounting hole pairs, and a second arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in a second of said mounting hole pairs, said piston rod being pivotally connected to said first and second arms through said linkage means to pivot them towards and away from one another. 
     
     
       14. A power clamp for actuating one or more workpiece-engaging arms or various configurations, comprising: (a) a housing having an internal bore;   (b) a piston longitudinally reciprocable in said bore;   (c) a piston rod attached to said piston;   (d) mounting means for mounting said housing to a support surface, said mounting means being integral with said housing and including a plurality of housing mounting holes in said housing for receiving means for securing and mounting said housing to said support surface;   (e) a pair of spaced legs connected to and extending longitudinally with respect to said housing, said legs having a longitudinal slot therebetween said legs having free extending extreme ends; and   means defining at least three arm mounting hole pairs extending transversely through said legs and across said slot, said arm mounting hole pairs being distinct from said housing mounting holes in said housing with two of said arm mounting hole pairs being positioned adjacent to said free extending ends of said legs on opposite sides of said slot with the third mounting hole pair being positioned below one of said two arm mounting hole pairs, (i) said clamp in a first configuration having a single arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in one of said arm mounting hole pairs with said piston rod pivotally connected thereto to pivot same;   (ii) said clamp in a second configuration having a first arm immovably secured by fasteners disposed in two of said arm mounting hole pairs, and a second arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in a third of said arm mounting hole pairs with said piston rod pivotally connected thereto to pivot same,   (iii) said clamp in a third configuration having a first arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in one of said arm mounting hole pairs, and a second arm pivotally supported by a pin disposed in a second of said arm mounting hole pairs, said piston rod being pivotally connected to said first and second arms to pivot them towards and away from one another.